Canadian Government confirms arts funding

The Canadian government has decided to extend its Tomorrow Starts Today funding initiative for another year; a great benefit for the entire arts industry.
Tomorrow Starts Today was launched in 2001 and budgeted at $312 million over three fiscal years. The initiative is aimed at promoting excellence and diversity in the arts, namely through an increase in the budget of the Canada Council for the Arts. It has also made multi-million dollar investments to increase arts opportunities for young Canadians, improving cultural infrastructure, supporting management and helping communities develop and sustain their own arts and heritage programs.
Liza Frulla, Minister of Canadian Heritage, announced that Tomorrow Starts Today would be extended for the 2005-2006 fiscal year. For the Canada Council, this represents a continuation of the $25 million that has been added to its Parliamentary appropriation each year since 2001-2002. The Council’s total appropriation – including the Tomorrow Starts Today funding – was just over $150 million in 2004.
‘We applaud the Minister of Canadian Heritage, and the federal government, for their commitment to providing much-needed support to Canadian artists and arts organisations,’ said Canada Council Chair Karen Kain. ‘The arts are essential to the quality of life of Canadians and the social and economic development of the communities they live in. We are delighted that the government has recognised this and has acted accordingly.’
The initiative has widely been regarded as very successful, with strong individual and organisational support across the country. It has also been popular with government officials, too. The Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers responsible for Culture and Heritage and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities all recently called for the renewal of the initiative.
‘The government’s decision will allow us to maintain our current level of funding in 2005-2006, and we hope it will lead to a longer-term commitment of these funds in the future,’ Ms. Kain said. ‘On behalf of the Canada Council, I would like to thank everyone who took the time and effort to express support for increased investment in the arts.’
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